I’ve really been looking at various rocker-soled shoes on the market to help out my bouts of plantar fasciitis, and the recurring stress fractures in one foot. It seems logical that they would be the perfect solution to my medical woes: they’d take pressure off my joints, stretch the plantar fascia, and keep the top part of my foot from bending a lot where the stress fractures occur. I’ve had good luck in the past with New Balance running shoes, and was very excited to see that its foray into the rocker sole market looks great: the new Rock & Tone walking shoes!

You’d actually have to look closely to see that they’re not your typical athletic shoe. The rocker sole is not very prominent looking, but it definitely is there and you can feel it when you walk. I also really like the fact that the sole is rigid, so that I don’t add pressure to the metatarsal area where I tend to get foot pain. But the absolute best feature of these shoes is that they are very lightweight! There is a huge difference in weight between these shoes and many other brands on the market.

I’ve owned other New Balance athletic shoes and have always been impressed by the quality of workmanship and how well they fit my feet, and I’m delighted that I can add some muscle-toning shoes to my collection. New Balance claims that it can increase your calorie burn by as much as 8% just by normal wear, so I’m very anxious to see those results!

Just be sure to use your Rock and Tones for walking only; New Balance doesn’t recommend them for other types of athletic activities due to the natural instability that the sole creates. If it makes my legs feel more toned by just walking, I’m happy to go for a stroll!

The Rock and Tones currently are available in 3 styles, with more coming out soon! I particularly like the WW1442SB, which is grey with a mesh upper. I really enjoy wearing shoes that let my feet breathe when I’m getting some exercise! So be sure to check out these fabulous new rocker-soled shoes, and go for a stroll with style!

Hi Sue – thanks so much for your comment. Unfortunately the blog post that you commented on was written back in September of 2010, and since then New Balance has decided to stop making this particular type of shoe. Sorry for the confusion! If you’re interested in rocker sole sneakers, I’d recommend you take a look at MBT; they are the most popular rocker-sole shoe we carry and customers LOVE them.